1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to silicone emulsions which yield an elastomer when the water is removed at room temperature. The silicone polymer in the emulsion contains silacyclobutane rings.
2. Background Information
Findley and Weyenberg disclose in U.S. Pat. No. 3,294,725, issued Dec. 27, 1966 a method of polymerizing siloxanes and silcarbanes in emulsion. The method emulsifies an organosiloxane oligomer in the presence of a surface active sulfonic acid catalyst.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,398,178, issued Aug. 20, 1968 to Nelson, polymerizes silacyclobutanes by reacting with a catalytic amount of halogenated silane, hydrohalic acid or aluminum halide to polymerize by opening the ring to form a polymer consisting essentially of ##STR1##
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,445,495, issued May 20, 1969, Nelson teaches the formation of similar polymers by polymerizing silacyclobutanes in the presence of a platinum catalyst.
Jones and Owen show alkoxy and amino silacyclobutanes in U.S. Pat. No. 3,687,995, issued Aug. 29, 1972, which they say may be reacted with organo-silicon materials containing SiOH groups and therefore may be useful as cross-linking agents. This use is claimed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,694,427. These compositions have the disadvantage of undergoing gradual increase in viscosity with time, requiring the components to be stored separately if spontaneous thickening is undesirable. Further, these formulations emit volatile condensation byproducts.